Yikes! Filled pool, and now just discovered 'Intex Dose' Method!

[MunkeyTX]

Filled 15'x 36" Summer Escape (Intex knockoff...was a gift), 2700 gal. inflatable last night, THEN read about 'Intex Dose'!

Filled on city water, tested water this morning; pH high (was above 8.2) and Cl low (.5 to 1)...using HTH 6 way drop kit.

Just threw in four 3000gal doses (2 cups) of bleach....what next? Going to test again in an hour, but I want to make it right ASAP (so my daughter will stop crying at not being able to swim, but if it's not right I won't let her in until it is)!

What do I need to do to get caught up??

[PoolDoc]

If you want to, you can still use this method:

http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/forumdisplay.php?175 (Pool-Chemistry-for-Intex-type-Pools)

[MunkeyTX]

Ok, just tested water...

Cl: 1
pH: 7.5 - 7.8 (closer to high end)
CYA: <30 (duh)
Alk: 150
Hard: 230
(Using HTH 6 Way)

Add two more doses (one cup) to bump the Cl a little? How do I get the pH to drop?

I'm all for keeping it simple over the summer by only using bleach and borax; any harm in not using the dichlor tabs?

Gah! Just realized the title of this thread is 'Index' instead of 'Intex'...fat fingers!

[CarlD]

Your pH is actually OK for now, below 7.8.
You want your CL to be around 3 - 6 if the water is clear, 12 if it's not.

[Watermom]

Gah! Just realized the title of this thread is 'Index' instead of 'Intex'...fat fingers!

I fixed it for you!;)

[sarahspins]

so my daughter will stop crying at not being able to swim, but if it's not right I won't let her in until it is)!

As long as your water is clear and you can maintain a chlorine level in your pool she can safely swim in it - the problem is that without adequate stabilizer in the water you will have to keep adding a LOT of bleach to keep that chlorine level up because it will burn off in the sun, often very quickly.

There is no harm in not using dichlor if you add CYA to your pool another way so that you protect your chlorine. Unless you have to drain water from your pool you probably won't have to add more during the season. Some walmarts carry the HTH Stabilizer and Conditioner (http://www.walmart.com/ip/HTH-Stabilizer-and-Conditioner/17043638), you'll know it's the right stuff if you find it because it has a purple cap and lists the contents as 96% Cyanuric Acid. In a 2700 gallon pool you will use most of a 15oz container (you could safely use all of it).

Your pH is fine in a vinyl pool as long as it's between 7 and 8. Higher or lower than that may be very irritating to the skin. You can use Muriatic Acid to lower the pH (adding the CYA will initially lower the pH too), but if the TA of your water is high you can just expect it to keep creeping back up over time unless you manage to get the TA down.

[MunkeyTX]

As long as your water is clear and you can maintain a chlorine level in your pool she can safely swim in it - the problem is that without adequate stabilizer in the water you will have to keep adding a LOT of bleach to keep that chlorine level up because it will burn off in the sun, often very quickly.

Quickly is an understatement! I added 4 doses (2 cups) of bleach last night, and when I tested it today at 6:45PM (after a very sunny hot day) my Cl read 0!

Added another 4 doses and Cl came up to 3...holy cow I need stabilizer bad!

Wondering if 1" tablets in the in-pump chlorinator would be easier afterall?

[Watermom]

It is ok to use those tablets as long as they have no copper in them and as long as you watch your pH (they are very acidic and will drive the pH down). Also, you have to monitor your CYA as continuous use of trichlor over a long period of time will cause the CYA level to get too high.

However, if you use the 'recipe' for Intex pools (which uses dichlor), the CYA level will build up pretty quickly to a good level and then you can switch to bleach.